Bottom Trawling Nets 3,000 Fish Species

Why this is here: Bottom trawling captures an estimated 3,000 fish species, but researchers believe the actual number could be double that, highlighting the broad impact of this fishing method.

Project Seahorse researchers in Canada analyzed over 9,000 reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. They investigated the diversity of fish species caught by bottom trawling—a practice where weighted nets scrape the ocean floor. The team found evidence of roughly 3,000 different fish species in these catches, estimating the true number could be as high as 6,000.

The study revealed bottom trawlers capture species across entire fish families, including commercially important jacks and croakers, and critically endangered giant guitarfish. About one in seven of the species identified are already threatened or near-threatened with extinction, and bottom trawling contributes to the threats facing two-thirds of them.

However, roughly 25% of the species recorded lack sufficient conservation data, leaving their status unknown. Researchers also note fisheries often fail to record smaller species, grouping them as “various” or “trash fish.” More complete records are needed to fully assess the impact of bottom trawling on marine ecosystems and fisheries.